Tana MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Tana

Local serverstdioTypeScript

What is the Tana MCP MCP server?

If you already use Tana MCP, the tana mcp mcp server is the piece that lets your assistant work with it directly. A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Tana.

What the server does

  1. Open Tana in your browser 2. Click on the Settings icon (gear) in the bottom left 3. Navigate to API tokens 4. Click Create new token 5. Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "MCP Server") 6. Copy the token immediately - it won't be shown again

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • Non — HTTP/HTTPS links
  • create_plain_node — Create simple text nodes with optional supertags
  • create_formatted_node — Create nodes with rich formatting and inline references
  • create_reference_node — Create references to existing nodes
  • create_date_node — Create date nodes (supports various ISO 8601 formats)
  • create_url_node — Create URL/link nodes
  • create_checkbox_node — Create checkbox/task nodes
  • create_file_node — Create file attachment nodes (base64 encoded)
  • create_node_structure — Create complex nested node hierarchies
  • create_supertag — Define new supertags in your schema
  • create_field — Define new fields in your schema
  • add_field_value — Add field values to existing nodes

Installation

tana-mcp on npm is all you need. Most clients run it directly, so configuration is a few lines and a restart.

Credentials and setup notes

Configuration is passed through the environment: TANA_API_TOKEN, TANA_DEFAULT_TARGET. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Where it fits

Plenty of planning and project tracking servers cover similar ground. The differences that matter in practice are scope of access and how much setup stands between you and a working tool call. Tana MCP's toolset — Non, create_plain_node, create_formatted_node and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by tim-mcdonnell; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

We check each listing at SyncDev against the project's documentation before it goes live — if something here drifts out of date, it is a bug worth reporting.

Worth knowing first

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • With 14 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Tana MCP.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
NonHTTP/HTTPS links
create_plain_nodeCreate simple text nodes with optional supertags
create_formatted_nodeCreate nodes with rich formatting and inline references
create_reference_nodeCreate references to existing nodes
create_date_nodeCreate date nodes (supports various ISO 8601 formats)
create_url_nodeCreate URL/link nodes
create_checkbox_nodeCreate checkbox/task nodes
create_file_nodeCreate file attachment nodes (base64 encoded)
create_node_structureCreate complex nested node hierarchies
create_supertagDefine new supertags in your schema
create_fieldDefine new fields in your schema
add_field_valueAdd field values to existing nodes
set_node_nameRename existing nodes (plain nodes only)
LimitValue

How to install the Tana MCP MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tana-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "tana-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "TANA_API_TOKEN": "your-api-token-here",
        "TANA_DEFAULT_TARGET": "INBOX"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
TANA_API_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
TANA_DEFAULT_TARGETConfiguration value read at startup.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • Use Tana MCP to Non.
  • Use Tana MCP to create plain node.
  • Use Tana MCP to create formatted node.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Tana MCP to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (Non, create_plain_node, create_formatted_node, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Tana MCP directly.